Beginning
by ladyreapermc
Summary: Constantine has a little girl to keep safe...Introducing Original Character...
1. Chapter 1

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My first fic about Constantine... Mostly based on the movie... but the fic is pre-movie...

English is not my first language, so forgive any mistakes.

Enjoy e Review...

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Her eyes were tight shut. The blanket covering her head. She didn't want to see what was out there. She heard her mother screaming in agony and her father trying to climb the stairs to make sure she was safe. Now everything was silent. She held Spike in a deadly grip and whispered a pray her mother had taught her. Liv waited a little longer but nothing came; she sighed in relief and quietly got up, dragging Spike with her by the long bunny ear.

Liv tiptoed into the corridor, paying attention to any sounds. She heard footsteps downstairs and a male voice, but couldn't understand what he was saying. She tried to peek what was going on down there, but backed away when she heard a strange noise.

She walked backwards, trying to get as far away from the stairs as she could, tripping on something, Liv lost her balance, fell on top of something. She put both of her hands on the floor to lift herself, but froze when saw a warm red liquid tinting her fingers and Spike white fur. Liv looked away and ended up staring at her father face, eyes wide in horror, and throat sliced cut. She screamed on top of her lungs and crawled away as fast as she could, but couldn't take her eyes away from the corpse.

Liv missed the sound of someone hurrying up the stairs, and only noticed that there was a person behind her when she collided with him. She looked up and screamed again automatically, trying to run, but he was faster and grabbed her, holding her still with a arm around her body and covering her mouth with the other hand. Liv continued to kick around, scratching any available skin she could find. The man tightened his grip and shushed her, mumbling slowly.

"It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not here to hurt you." His voice was strangely soothing. "I know you're scared, you're looking at the body of your father, brutally murder. If you let me, I'll take you out of here, I'll make sure that you safe. Nothing is going to come near you while I'm around." He waited patiently as Liv slowly stilled her movements and went limp in his arms. He loosened his grip and turned her around carefully to not scare her again. She was a pretty girl, Latin features, brown hair tied in a ponytail, big brown eyes, which now were staring at him, full of tears.

"He…" She trailed off, glancing at her father dead body.

"Don't look." He turned her face away from the vision. "Did it hurt you?" He asked calmly, looking at the bloody pajamas. She shook her head. "Good, let's get going."

"What about my parents?"

"They're dead." He said coldly. "Come on." He tried to lift her, but she pushed his hand away.

"I'm staying here. They're my parents. They need me!"

"You can't do anything for them!" He grabbed her arm.

"No!" Liv yelled. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"What's your name kid?" She looked at him with distrust.

"Liv."

"O.K. Liv, I know you want to do something to help them, but there's nothing you can do. The best thing for you is to come with me."

"I don't want to leave them here. Like this." She said in a weeping voice.

"You have to kid. You have to." He knelt in front of her and cleaned her cheek. She nodded slowly and took his hand. He nodded back at her.

"By the way, my name is John." He smiled, she returned it with a shy smile.

xxx

Don't own anything except the original character... all the rest belongs to Vertigo Comics and Warner bros...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: After the rescue

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John Constantine opened the door of his apartment and hit the lights, stepping out of the doorway.

"Come on in kid." He told the girl behind him. She looked so small with his jacket over her shoulders, covering the bloody pajamas, and hugging the red tinted bunny.  
Liv entered the room carefully, looking around a bit afraid. She wasn't sure if she should trust that strange man who save her. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to believe in what happened.

She stayed silent as Constantine closed the door behind her. One thing she was certain, for some reason, she couldn't help it but like him. Maybe it was all that knight in a shining armor thing, but there was something about him that made Liv like him instantaneously. Liv watched as John moved around the apartment, loosening his tie and unbuttoning his stained shirt. She stood by the door, unmoving. He disappeared for a while behind a frosted glass wall. She was wondering about the gallons of water laying bellow the window when John appeared again.

"There's clothes for you on the bed." John informed. His niece, Gemma, had forgotten them there last time she slept over. The two girls has about the same age. They should fit.

Liv nodded before going into the bathroom. Constantine sighed, feeling tired and poured himself a drink. He looked around his dirty apartment while swallowing the alcoholic liquid at once, grimacing.. He was going to need help.

John grabbed his phone and dialed Cheryl's number. After a single ring, the answer machine picked up. "Hey, it's me. Can you come over tomorrow? It's important." He was about the hang up when the thought occurred him. "Oh, and bring some of Gemma's clothes." Constantine cut the call, as Liv stepped back into the kitchen, looking a little more like the girl she should be, now that she was wearing one of his niece's dresses, but her face still had a lost expression.

"Are you hungry?" He questioned, opening the fridge. Liv only shook her head. "Yeah, I thought so. I don't have anything eatable in here anyway." Constantine closed the door and looked at her.

"It's been a long night. You should go to sleep now." He wasn't really sure if the girl would be able to, but Liv agreed silently anyway. "You know where the bed is. Make yourself at home." John almost kicked himself at his choice of words when her eyes filled with tears. But she didn't cry, she only nodded and went back to his bedroom, turning the lights off.

Constantine kicked his shoes off, frustrated, grabbing a bottle of wine and a glass, letting himself fall on the couch. Pouring himself another drink, he lighted a cigarette and sighed. The events from the previous hours haunting his mind.

When John arrived at the house, he was sure it was too late. There was blood everywhere and no sign of a living soul. He was about to leave and call the cops when he heard her scream. He climbed the stairs as fast as he could, gun ready to fire. But there was no demon, only the girl knelt on her father's blood. She didn't have a scratch on her body, the killer hadn't even gone into her bedroom. She had been spared from the slaughter, John just didn't know why.

---

Constantine blinked a few times in the dark. Something had awaken him, he wasn't sure what anymore. Staying in silence for a moment, John tried to pick any sound, but there was nothing. He ran a hand over his face, and tried to find a comfortable position to go back to sleep, but it was impossible on that couch.

After a few minutes tossing around, he gave up and got up, crossing his bedroom silently. He was almost at the bathroom when he heard a sniff. That's what woke him. John turned around noticing a lump on the farther corner of the room, under the widow sill and between the gallons of holly water. He stepped close, turning the lights on.

"What are you doing over there?" Constantine asked crouching in from of her. "Bad dreams?" Liv didn't say a word, only buried her face further in her arms. John sighed and sat down. He was clueless about what to do.

"They'll go away eventually." He said sincerely. Liv lifted her head. "The nightmares. They'll fade away after a while, so will the pain. After a while, you won't even remember, the only thing left is a hollow feeling in your chest." John wasn't sure anymore if he was talking to the girl or to himself. But it had an effect anyway, Liv looked at him, her face was stained with tears.

"If a tell you something, you promise not to tell anyone?" She asked in such a low whisper that John had to lean forward to hear.

"I promise."

"I dreamed about my parents death…" Liv informed.

"It's ok, it's still fresh in your memory, you're going to dream…"

"Before it happens." She interrupted him, frightened of herself. John stared at her surprised. Liv sobbed. "Theirs throats were slashed open and bleeding." She had a strange look on her face.

"When I heard my mother screaming tonight, I knew it was happening. I couldn't move, I couldn't help them." There was so much pain in her voice that made something clench inside John's chest. "They couldn't see what was attacking them." Liv looked deep inside Constantine's brown eyes, a tear ran down her cheek silently. "I wish I couldn't see either."

John pulled the girl into his arms and whispered soothing words against her hair. Liv looked beyond his shoulder, staring at the wall. She didn't have any tears left to spill for her parents.

xxx

Still don't own anything but the OC...


	3. Chapter 3

Autor's notes: Finally I'm free. All done with school. And now, after almost 4 months, a new chapter. This one is a little boring and slow.

I decided that I'm going to mix both Constantine's universes: the comic books and the movie. I like both Constantines, but it will be mainly the movie, because I've just started to read the comics.

Yeah I think this is it.

Hope you like the chapter.

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Constantine woke up with the sound of insistent knocking on his front door. He blinked and sat up, looking at the time.

"Do you want me to open it?" Liv asked from her spot on the window sill. John jumped startled at the unexpected voice. Either the kid was death silent or he was getting careless.

"No, I'll get it." Constantine answered yawning before standing and walking to the door. He opened it as Cheryl was about to knock again.

"It's about time! I've been knocking for hours." She complained entering the apartment.

"Sure Cheryl, come in. make yourself at home." John muttered a little annoyed. It was way too early to deal with his older sister.

"So why did you need Gemma's clothes? You're not doing some weird voodoo stuff with her things are you? I already have enough problems with my daughter wanting to be just like her uncle to…" She stopped babbling when she noticed the girl standing on the doorway that leaded to John's bedroom.

"Cheryl, meet Liv." John said pouring himself a cup of coffee, not really sure when it had been made. The woman smiled at the girl before dragging her brother out of the apartment.

"Who's that girl? Not a bastard child of yours I hope." She asked exasperated as soon as the door was closed behind them.

"What?" John asked shocked. "No! She's a job." He said shrugging. "I am careful about that kind of thing." He scratched the back of his neck. "Anyway, her parents were killed last night and she had nowhere to go so I brought her here." Cheryl's expression softened, becoming touched.

"I'm so glad to know that my little brother still has a heart." She stated mockingly, making John scowl.

"You're the only one then. I don't need a kid around my place getting in the middle of my business." He replied in an annoyed tone.

"So what are you planning to do?"

"I don't know. There must be a place to deliver her." Constantine spoke thoughtful. Cheryl looked at her brother shocked with his insensitiveness and smacked him on the back of his head. John stared at his sister wide eyed.

"Are you mental? What in hell was that for?" He asked rubbing his head.

"Because you're being heartless asshole!" She stated matter-of-factly. "She's not some package you found on the bus! Do the right thing and get one of your lazy ass friends to track down her family!" Cheryl was almost yelling.

"Alright! Just calm down." John replied. Her sister sighed looking at her watch and pushed the bag she was carrying on John's arms.

"I'm late; please don't be a total prick with the poor child." The exorcist rolled his eyes as she climbed down the stairs.

When Constantine stepped inside his apartment once more Liv was sat in the kitchen starring at the tabletop. He dropped the bag on one chair and sighed, running a hand through his mussed hair.

"Your heard that didn't you?" He asked a little ashamed, the girl didn't answered. "Listen…" Liv cut him off.

"I'm sorry for being such a burden to you." She stated standing up and giving him a hurt look and left the room. For the first time since they met, John Constantine wasn't the knight in the shining armor to her eyes.

---

John leaned against the yellow car, Liv was doing the same. Both of them stared at a nice suburban house in one of the best neighborhood of Los Angeles. After two weeks of searching, he had finally been able to track down the girl's aunt. And now there they were, leaving Liv with her family.

"I don't get it." She said in a low tone. "Why my mom never told me she had a sister?" John shrugged.

"I don't know, kid."

"You're sure you got the right woman?" Liv asked doubtful.

"Kinda hard for me to be mistaken. They're twins." John answered calmly, lighting a cigarette. "I know you're scared."

"I'm not scared." Liv replied looking at him. "I'm just…" She trailed off sighing.

"So, you're ready?" John asked after a few moments of silence, throwing his cigarette away.

"No." Liv answered simply, but pushed herself away from the car anyway. She turned to face John, who knelt before her. "Thanks for everything." He nodded.

"Remember what I told you." He said.

"It's all real, no matter how impossible it seems. And never tell anyone, they won't understand." She said in a quiet voice and John nodded again with a small smile.

"You're a cool kid, Liv."

"Am I gonna see you again?" She asked hopeful.

"No." John answered simply and Liv looked down. "It's for your own safety." She nodded, feeling tears pricking the corner of her eyes. She threw her arms around John's neck and hugged him tightly.

"I'm going to miss you." John chuckled slightly and entangled himself for the little girl.

"No, you won't. After a week, you won't even remember me." John sighed, standing up. "Be safe, kid." He said as a farewell.

Liv waved him a goodbye and crossed the small gate of the white fence, walking slowly on the stone path sided by well cut grass, toward the red door of the house. It all seemed so cliché. She already didn't like. She knocked slightly, feeling a knot in her stomach. The door opened immediately as if someone was expecting that knock. A woman that looked exactly like her mother looked at her with tears in her eyes. It made Liv swallow hard, missing her parents terribly.

"Hi." She said quietly, fisting her pants. "I'm Liv." The woman nodded, letting the tears fall over her cheek.

"I'm Sue, nice to meet you Liv. Why don't you come in?" She opened the door a little wider for the girl. Liv turned around slightly, looking at John one last time before entering the house.

Constantine sighed, stepping inside the cab, still watching the house through the window.

"You think she'll be ok?" Chas asked looking at his friend through the review mirror.

"She'll be fine." John answered simply, lighting another cigarette. "Come on, I still got an appointment at Midnite's." Chas nodded, speeding down the street. John continued to watch the house until it was out of his sight. She would be just fine. She was strong. She was just like him.

xxx


	4. Chapter 4

So this chapter took me a while to get it right, but I like it. It's very angst and dark, but a little cute. It will be the last one.

Thanks for the reviews. It means a lot to me to know you guys like what I'm doing here.

Hope you like it.

R&R please.

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Chapter 4

Strangely, Constantine had woken up early that morning. Sitting at the kitchen table, he nursed his coffee quietly with an old newspaper opened in front of him. He heard the noise of someone entering the room, but didn't bother to look up.

"Your money is over there." John pointed to the bills on the table.

"You don't need to pay me." She replied with a smile, leaning against the counter.

"Yes I do, Ellie." He answered coldly finally looking at her. "Take the money and get out." Ellie laughed heartily.

"You know what I like the most about sleeping with you?" John sighed but didn't say anything. "You always hate yourself afterwards. It's entertaining." He merely looked back at the paper, flipping the page to see the obituaries as Ellie picked up the money, without even bothering checking the amount, and put in her purse.

"Why are you still here?" He asked rudely, still not looking at the half-breed. Ellie only smirked.

"See you around, Johnny." She taunted and walked out the door. But Constantine's focus was in something else. His eye caught a familiar name on the gray pages that made his stomach sink.

It was the announcement of the Mayfair's funeral at 9:30 a.m. today. John stood up quickly, checking the time. If he hurried, he could make it.

--

The preacher's words didn't reach Liv's ears anymore, or the condolences from the many people in the funeral. Empty words coming from people she had never seen before. It meant nothing. Her Aunt Sue's hand was heavy on her shoulder, it was supposed to be comforting, but Liv didn't felt it. She felt completely numb.

Looking up, she noticed the woman's tear stained face. It was her mother's face, but yet, Liv didn't feel the same care and love she always felt when she looked at her mother. The true is she didn't feel anything for her new discovered aunt. The woman was nice enough, giving her space and kind words and smiles, but Liv still could bring herself to care.

A raindrop fell on her cheek. Or was it a tear? If it was, it wasn't Liv's. Her eyes remained completely dry. She had stopped crying a long time ago. In that night when she told Constantine about her dreams. She looked back at the well-polished woods of the two coffins and the too red roses on top of them. They were just as red as the blood forever burned in her memory. She could smell the wet earth and the grass, she used to love that scent, playing catch under the rain with her father. He would always catch her. Now, the smell meant nothing.

Liv was surrounded by all kinds of sensations and yet, it felt surreal, almost like she wasn't even there. It was supposed to be a goodbye. She had done that the minute Constantine took her away, to a safe place. She had said her farewells, why did she have to be here?

Liv saw a few people approaching the coffins, dropping flowers, paying their respects. She wanted to laugh, tomorrow, those same people would go back to their routines, forget her parents completely, so why even bother? Her Aunt squeezed her shoulder lightly and Liv took a step forward.

What was she supposed to do? Was she supposed to say something? Her eyes roamed the crowd looking for a clue, seeing expectant stares. That's when she saw him. Standing far away, looking back at her. He smiled at her sadly, understanding. He didn't want to be there either; he didn't see the meaning of that anymore than she did. They were dead. It was over.

Liv looked back at the people around her; some had turned to see what had caught her attention, looking at the strange man with curiosity. They didn't get it. They didn't know. She didn't want to be here, so she ran. Towards Constantine. Away from the loss.

Liv wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his shirt. She was safe with him, didn't have to deal with all those people and they expectations for tears, for words. John combed his fingers through her hair sighing. She shouldn't have to go through all that.

"I wanna stay with you." The rain muffled her voice, but he heard anyway.

"You can't, kid."

"Why not?" She looked up and John almost got lost in those big innocent eyes.

"Because…" He could answered that question with thousand of different reasons, each one more reasonable than the other, but it wouldn't change anything, so he decided to just trailed off.

"That's not fair." She pouted making him laugh and kneel before her.

"Life isn't fair."

"You're leaving again." It was a statement and John just nodded.

"I don't want you to go." John ran his thumb over her cheek and smiled.

"I'm not saying 'goodbye', I'm saying, 'see you around, kid'."

"When?" She was almost excited.

"I don't know."

"So who does?" John shrugged.

"Time." Liv looked at him for a few moments with a frown, measuring his words.

"That's a bunch of bull." She stated annoyed and crossing her arms John just laughed nodding before straightening up and messing up her hair.

"See you around, Liv. That's a promise." Liv grinned as she watched him go. Constantine always kept his word. She walked back to her Aunt's car still smiling and sat on the back.

"You're ok?" She asked concerned. Liv nodded quickly. "Who was he?" The girl had to think for a moment how to answer that.

"He's someone who understands." Her Aunt frowned in confusion.

"Understand what?" Liv just smiled.

"Can we have pizza for dinner?" Sue was taken back by the request. Since Liv had arrived in her home, she hadn't actually say much, just stared out the window, looking lost, but now, out of nowhere, the girl was happy. Actually happy. Sue smiled too.

"Sure, whatever you want." She could ask about the man again later, right now, she wanted to spend sometime with her niece. A thing she should have done a long time ago.

The End

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Still don't own him, sadly.

After much thought, I decided to end this fic here. I noticed It was a nice finale. At least for now... There will be a sequel, when John meets Liv again... but I'm working on other projects now and I have to focus on others things as well, like school. But I promise I'll try to pick it up later. I'm not ready to let this story go so soon.

So thanks for reading!


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